The reading of the kanji depends on the adjoining hiragana and kanji and it’s use in the sentence.

Also to make things more complicated, あく(=aku) is intransitive verb and ひらく (=hiraku) can be transitive verb or intransitive verb.

I hope everything becomes clear in this lesson! Here we go!

When you use it as a transitive verb : to open something

(object）を開く = ひらく(= hiraku) or 開ける = あける(= akeru)

Ex. ドアを開く = ドアをひらく

= doa wo hiraku

= to open the door

or ドアを開ける=ドアをあける

= doa wo akeru

= to open the door

Note : Which one to use?

The translation is both to open the door and there is time when we use them equally.But 開く = ひらく (= hiraku) is a bit more formal, literal, a bit dramatic and is used when you stress the movement or describe the process of opening something “folded / closed tightly.” or spread something widely.

While 開ける= あける(=akeru) is just refering the action of opening, 開く= ひらく (= hiraku) focuses the action or movement of opening something widely.

For this reason, I would say we use 開ける= あける(= akeru) more in daily conversation

Ex. ちょっと、ドアを開けて！

= ちょっと、ドアをあけて！

= Chotto, doa wo akete!

= Hey, open the door!

I don’t usually hear people say

ドアを開いて!=ドアをひらいて!(= doa wo hiraite).

Ex. 心の扉を開いてみよう。

= こころのとびらをひらいてみよう。

= Kokoro no tobira wo hiraite miyou.

= You should open up your heart.

Ex. 目を開けて下さい！

=めをあけてください！

=Me wo akete kudasai

= Open your eyes! (Just physically open your eyes.)

Ex. 目を開いてよく現実を見てごらん。

= めをひらいてよくげんじつをみてごらん。

= Me wo hiraite yoku genjitsu wo mite goran.

= Open your eyes and see more reality.

Ex. 教科書を開いて下さい。

= きょうかしょをひらいてください。

= Kyoukasho wo hiraite kudasai .

= Open your textbook.

When you use it as an intransitive verb,

(subject) が開く= (subject) があく・ひらく= (subject) ga aku/hiraku

You can use both ひらく (= hiraku) or あく (= aku)

Ex. 風で門が開く = かぜでドアがあく / ひらく

= kaze de mon ga aku/hiraku

= The wind blew open the gate. (Literally: The door opened due to the wind.)

Ex. ドアが開いたままになっている。

=ドアがあいた/ひらいたままになっている。

= Doa ga aita/hiraita mama ni natteiru.

= The door has been left opened.

Note : Pay attention to the particles.

When you use 開 as a transitive verb, you need an object.

So you need to use an object markerを(=wo)

and when you use it as an intransitive verb, you need a subject marker:が(=ga)、は(=wa)、or も (=mo)

If you pay attention to the particles, you’ll know which one to use.

Ex. ドアを開ける= ドアをあける / ドアを開く = ドアをひらく

= Doa wo akeru / Doa wo hiraku

= Somebody opens the door

Ex. ドアが開く = ドアがあく or ドアがひらく

= Doa ga aku or Doa ga hiraku

= The door opens

Note 1) : Again the difference between 開く= あく (= aku) and 開く=ひらく(=hiraku) is subtle. 開く=ひらく(=hiraku) delivers the image that something opens up all the way or very wide.

Note 2) :開く=ひらく(= hiraku) can be used bothas both atransitiveandintransitive verb.

See the difference of the particles in the following sentences?

Ex. 何時にお店が (or は）開きますか？

= なんじにおみせが (or は）あきますか？

= Nanji ni omise ga (or wa) akimasu?

= What time does the store open?

Ex. 何時にお店を開けますか？

= なんじにおみせをあけますか？

= Nanji ni omise wo akemasu ka?

= What time do you open the store?

Another difference :

When you say

お店を開ける=おみせをあける (= omise wo akeru): You just open a store for the day.

お店を開く=おみせをひらく (= omise wo hiraku)

They have different meanings.

お店を開く= おみせをひらく(= omise wo hiraku) is used when you actually start a business and open the store.

So if you say,

Ex. あの店はまだ開いていない。

= あのみせはまだひらいていない。

= Ano mise wa mada hiraite inai

It means they haven’t opened the store as a business = they haven’t started the business yet.

but if you say

Ex. あの店はまだ開いていない。

= あのみせはまだあいていない。

= Ano mise wa mada aite inai.

It means, the store hasn’t opened yet because it is too early in the morning/evening.

We can say the same thing about,

お店を開く = おみせをひらく

= omise wo hiraku

= to open a shop (as business)

and

お店を開ける = おみせをあける

= omise wo akeru

= to open a store(in the morning/at night, etc.)

However, in conversation there are people who use 開く=ひらく(= hiraku) when discussing whether or not a store is open at that time or not.

Ex. こんな朝早く、どの店も開いていないよ。

=こんなあさはやくからどのみせもあいていないよ→ひらいていないよ。

= Konna asa hayaku dono mise mo aitenaiyo→hiraite inaiyo.

= No shops are open this early in the morning.

Other examples :

Ex.口を大きく開けて下さい。

=くちを大きくあけて下さい。

= Kuchi wo ookiku akete kudasai.

= Open your mouth wide.

Ex. もっと大きく開いて！(or you can also say 開けて=あけて = akete!)

= もっとおおきくひらいて！

= Motto ookiku hiraite!

= Open it more!

Ex. 妻は、口を開けばいつも愚痴ばかりだ。

= つまは, くちをひらけばいつもぐちばかりだ。（Idiom!)

= Tsuma wa kuchi wo hirakeba itsumo guchi bakari

= My wife always complains. (Literally: When my wife opens her mouth, all she does is complain.)

Although, sometimes you can use both

開く= ひらく(= hiraku) or 開ける= あける(= akeru),

Ex. 包みを開く= つつみをひらく

= tsutsumi wo hiraku

= to open a package

Ex. 包みを開ける= つつみをあける

= tsutsumi wo akeru

= to open a package

開く= あく(=aku) or 開く＝ひらく(=hiraku)

Ex. 扉が開く= とびらがあく

= tobira ga aku

= the door opens

Ex. 扉が開く= とびらがひらく

= tobira ga hiraku

= the door opens

There are certain objects/events which only use one of them.

開く=ひらく(= hiraku) is used when something unfolds, when you have a meeting, party or events. Also there are some idiomatic uses.

Ex. 花が開く = はながひらく

= hana ga hiraku

=the bud unfolds → flowers come into bloom

Ex. 扇子を開く= せんすをひらく

= sensu wo hiraku

= to open a fan

Ex. 傘を開く

= かさをひらく

= kasa wo hiraku

= to open an umbrella

Ex. 心を開く =こころをひらく

= kokoro wo hiraku

= to open your heart

Ex . 銀行口座を開く = ぎんこうこうざをひらく

= ginkou kouza wo hiraku

= to open a bank account

Ex. 会議を開く = かいぎをひらく

= kaigi wo hiraku

= to have a meeting

Ex.誕生パーティーを開く=たんじょうパーティーをひらく

= Tanjou paatii wo hiraku.

= to have (throw) a birthday party

開く = あく( = aku) is used when something /some space which was closed or zipped closed, opens up or comes off from the seam.

Ex. 缶詰を開ける = かんづめをあける

= kanzume wo akeru

= to open a can

Ex. 穴を開ける = あなをあける

= ana wo akeru

= to make a hole

Ex. 耳にピアスの穴を開けたい

= みみにピアスのあなをあけたい

= Mimi ni piasu no ana wo aketai

= I want to pierce my ears.

Ex. 瓶を開ける

=びんをあける

= Bin wo akeru

= to open a bottle

Ex. 鍵を開ける。

= かぎをあける。

= Kagi wo akeru.

= to unlock

**********************

開ける= ひらける (= hirakeru) is an intransitive verb. We use it when we describe something which opens up or spreads out in front of you.

25 thoughts on “お開き = ohiraki + 開く＝ひらく＋あく, 開ける = ひらける・あける”

Whew, this is a lot of information, but thank you for the explanation. Maggie sensei, I have a question though. I understand the が and を difference for intransitive and transitive verbs, but I have seen examples that state:

O-mise wa aite imasu (the store is open).

while others state:

O-mise ga aite imasu (the store is open).

Some people say you must use が because it is intransive, but others say it doesn’t matter in this case. I’ve spent hours trying to sort this out, but you’re the one person whose explanations made sense. Tasukete! (sorry for being dramatic).

Sorry for the romanji, I haven’t set up a furigana keyboard on my new computer yet.

Hello Shabaescaba,
OK, the difference between “が” and “は” is very complicated.
The basic rule is
AはBです (focusing on B)
AがBです (focusing on A)

1) When you are talking about general things you use は
*この部屋は寒い= This room is cold.
*彼はリーダーです。= He is a leader.

And you usually use が when you focus on the subject
(どの部屋が寒いのですか？(=Dono heya ga samui no desu ka?)= Which room is cold, you said? ）
→この部屋が寒い= (Kono heya ga samui) THIS ROOM is cold.
(誰がリーダーですか？=(Dare ga riidaa desu ka?) = Who is the leader? ）
→彼がリーダーです。(Kare ga riidaa desu.) = He is the leader. (Emphasizing the subject)

Imagine, you are walking and saw some store is open.
If you simply describe what you saw, which one would you use?
The answer is 1) お店が開いています。(=Omise ga aite imasu.)

And imagine, you go to a coffee shop and it was closed. But they have a little store right next to the coffee shop and it was open. Which one would you use?
The answer is 2) お店は開いています。(= Omise wa aite imasu.)

So you use “は” in this case to show some contrast. (The store is open but maybe some other places are not.) Or to emphasize the subject more.

その店は開いていますが、他の店は開いていません。
= Sono mise wa aite imasu ga, hoka no mise wa aite imasen.
= That store is open but other stores are not open.

Ohhhh I’m sorry. That was a mistake. I fixed it.
Thank you for spotting the mistake. I really appreciate it. I made this lesson two years ago and didn’t realize that mistake until now.
And sorry for all the confusions.

閉める = shimeru = is used when you close something which was open or loose. (It also has a meaning such as to zip, to fasten (to tighten), to lock)
and 閉じる= tojiru = to close something firmly. to put the curtains together, to block, to end (finish)

Whoaaaa! That was a lot of information. I’m still going to have trouble for a while, remembering which is correct to use in whatever text I’m reading, but at least I know I’ll always have this lesson to refer back to if I ever get stuck.